Self-Esteem, Family Climate, and Communication Patterns in Relation to Deafness

Abstract

he purpose of the study presented in this article was to determine the effect that family communication patterns have on the self-esteem of deaf children. Deaf students at a southern residential school, ranging in age from 13 to 19, were administered the Modified Self-Esteem Inventory (MSEI) and the Subject Communication Questionnaire. The subjects' parents answered 10 questions about their communication patterns with their deaf child. The parents were not deaf themselves. Analysis of the data revealed that there is a positive relationship between the family's communication method and the deaf child's self-esteem such that parents who use total communication (speech, fingerspeUing, and sign) have children whose self-esteem scores are higher than those of children whose parents use an oral-only method of communication (speech). The parents who were best able to communicate by using sign language had children whose self-esteem scores were higher than those of children whose parents were less skilled in sign language. Also, a positive relationship was found between student self-esteem and reading level.

Family Climate Patterns and Its Relationship with Self-Concept among Students at the University of Islamic Sciences in light of the Variables of Gender and Age

“…In the end of the study, the researcher developed some recommendations and the most important that the relationship between parents and children must be improved and should be based on trust and intimacy, and parents must provide advice for their children. Deselle (1994) conducted a study entitled "The self-esteem for the deaf and the relationship of communication patterns and family climate in relation to this." The study was aimed to investigate the self-esteem of a sample of deaf children.…”

Anger communication in deaf children

“…When compared with hearing peers, deaf children seem socially less competent in their interactions with peers, either hearing or deaf. For example, studies have shown that deaf children feel more neglected and less accepted by other children and that they behave more dependently and show less self-confidence (Bat Chava, 1993;Desselle, 1994;Montanini Monfredi, 1993;Yachnik, 1986). Furthermore, although it appears that deaf children initiate interactions as often as hearing children (Vandell & George, 1981), they are subsequently more likely to be rejected by their peers (Cappelli, Daniels, Durieux-Smith, McGrath, & Neuss, 1995).…”

Deaf Children's Use of Beliefs and Desires in Negotiation

“…This affects their daily interactions with others. Deaf children feel less accepted compared with their hearing peers (Obrzut, Maddox, & Lee, 1999) and display less self-confidence in social situations (Desselle, 1994;Yachnik, 1986). They find it difficult to understand the social rules of friendship (Rachford & Furth, 1986), they easily attribute hostile intentions to others (Murdock & Lybarger, 1997), and, although they can be quite persistent in social interactions (Vandell & George, 1981), they are less competent in expressing their emotions in social conflicts Rieffe, Meerum Terwogt, & Smit, 2004).…”